# Accident 20110725018789A: Piper PA-28-180, Berne, NY, July 25, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 25, 2011, 18:57 local time
- Place: Berne, NY
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.6244° N, 74.0225° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.6244&lon=-74.0225&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1279T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1279T-2017-07-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 250 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA11FA422](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11FA422) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110725018789A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PERFORMED ON SCENE INVESTIGATION OF FATAL ACCIDENT. AIRCRAFT INITIALLY IMPACTED TOPS OF TREES, AND CONTINUED APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS TO FINAL IMPACT WITH TREES AT GROUND LEVEL. BOTH WINGS AND FUEL TANKS WERE LOCATED CLOSE TO THE INITIAL IMPACT SITE THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF POST CRASH FIRE.  A LOWERING CEILING WAS NOTE AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT. AREA HAS RISING TERRAIN IN THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT PRIOR AIRCRAFT BANKING HARD LEFT JUST BEFORE IMPACTING TREES, PER WITNESS STATMENTS. PILOTS RECIRDS INDICATE LAST MEDICAL CERT 11/21/2008.ASSISTED NTSB TEAM AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AT THE SCENE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA11FA422](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11FA422), Jul 25, 2011: Piper PA-28-180 (N1279T), Berne, NY, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees and rising terrain while attempting to reverse course. Contributing to the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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